280 Ack Load Development Help

[PGJPJ]

Hey Guys.

first, headed to the range today, and saw this guy in my neighbors yard. Glad I venture out great distances to hunt these elusive blacktail

Anyway this rifle has a fairly new barrel, 100 rounds through it now. It's a Pac Nor Super Match with a #3 contour and 1:8 twist. The barrel got a good cleaning 30 rounds ago, and these 3 sets represent the last 27 rounds of those 30 since cleaning. Action screws and scope mounting are all properly torqued… I think the basics are covered.

I'm shooting Berger 168 grain VLD Hunting, and I did do the Berger method for finding proper seating depth. For the macro adjustments, I found 0.010" off the lands to do the best. So I wanted to start with latter charge testing with RL26.

Sets 1 & 2 are just repeatings of 59.5, 60.0, and 60.5 grains powder. Groups weren't great, but 59.5 and 60.0 were showing potential. I thought I'd change seating depth a bit, and moved to 0.005" off the lands in set 3 (charges are the same as in the first two sets) In some ways it improved, but it seemed to increase the flyers.

Anyway, where am I needing to go? Should I be changing charge? Or seating depth? Or is there something else I should try. I'm trying to only change 1 variable at a time.

Thanks!

 

[BEEMAN]

My 280 AI likes 168 Berger classic hunters with H4831SC. Load development was very easy with this combo.

 

[MTBULLET]

ditto on h4831sc

 

[MallardAddict]

I haven't played with the 168's in my Ackley but do use the 172 Amax and it shoots h4831sc and R22 at roughly the same velocities and groups are very good for me. I am jumping .015 in mine.

My barrel is a 24" #5 PacNor 3 groove Supermatch 1:9

 

[Wby270]

I never played with the 168 bergers in my ackley, saved those for the 7mm wby.
My ackley shot the 140gr Barnes TTSX very well using IMR 4350, it also like the Hornady 139gr SST's with IMR 4831, both bullets where very easy to find a load for.

 

[rodneymoncrief]

I load for 2 different 280 AI rifles, both shoot 150 gr. Barnes TTSX very well. One I'm loading 60 gr. of IMR 4831 and the other 62 gr. H 4831 SC both shooting B TTSX as I mentioned earlier.

 

[chad]

58.5 gr rl25 180 hybrid 30 tho off lands

 

[chad]

60 gr imr7828ssc 168 vld

 

[FURMAN]

I personally would run a ladder test at at least 600 yds. If you do not have that option or you just insist on "classic load development" I would put the bullets at the lands and focus on finding the powder charge first. Once you find the accuracy node for the powder you can focus on seating depth. I am pretty confident you have not found the powder charge. I personally would try H4831SC as others have stated. Good luck.

 

[300 WB]

How is your bullet run out? I had the same issue working up a new load in my 7MM. New Hornady brass. Reamed the necks after once fired. Run out went under .001. Solved the issue.

 

[PGJPJ]

Thanks guys. I hadn't considered a runout issue.

I do have a couple #'s of H4831sc I could try, but I'm far from ready to give up on RL26. My range only has a 100 yard line, so I'd like to get close then take it to the field for longer range work.

 

[MudRunner2005]

60 gr imr7828ssc 168 vld

+1

I use 7828 SSC in my .25-06 AI and .30-06 AI and get excellent results.

 

[ol mike]

My barrel also likes H-4831Sc.

Not familiar with Re 26 but 17 works good for me too.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I can't find a load using RL26 that my rifle doesn't like.... As long as the bullets are at least 160 grains RL26 is very hard to beat.

Temp stable, single digit ES and SD, good load density, and far more speed than H4831 could ever produce at safe pressures...

I've made cold bore hits at 800 yards in temps ranging from around freezing to as high as 94 degrees.

H4831 must be good since so many use it, but RL26 does things the older powder cannot.